How to Run Linux on Windows with WSL

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) lets you run a Linux environment directly on Windows without setting up a traditional dual-boot system or a full desktop virtual machine.

For current versions of Windows, Microsoft recommends installing WSL with a single command.

Requirements

The simplified wsl --install command requires:

Windows 11, or
Windows 10 version 2004 or later (Build 19041 or later).

Older Windows builds require Microsoft’s manual WSL installation process.

Install WSL

Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal as administrator.
Run:

wsl --install

Restart the PC if prompted.
The default Linux distribution is installed (typically Ubuntu unless you choose another distribution).
Launch the distribution and create your Linux username and password.

The install command enables the required Windows components, installs WSL, and configures WSL 2 as the default for new distributions.

Choose a different Linux distribution

List distributions that Microsoft makes available through WSL:

wsl --list --online

Then install one by name:

wsl --install -d <DistributionName>

For example, use the exact distribution name shown by wsl --list --online.

Check and update WSL

Useful commands include:

wsl --status
wsl --update
wsl --list --verbose

To stop all running WSL distributions and the WSL 2 utility VM:

wsl --shutdown

Access Windows files from Linux

Windows drives are mounted under /mnt. For example, the Windows C: drive is normally available at:

/mnt/c

For Linux projects, performance and Linux file permissions are generally better when the project lives inside the Linux filesystem rather than under /mnt/c.

Run Windows and Linux commands together

From a WSL shell you can launch Windows executables, for example:

notepad.exe
explorer.exe .

From PowerShell or Command Prompt, prefix a Linux command with wsl, for example:

wsl uname -a

Windows 10 note

Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. WSL may continue to run on an existing Windows 10 installation, but consider Windows 11 or Microsoft’s current ESU options if you need a supported host operating system.